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Monday, January 26, 2015

Cycling is
all about numbers and they can tell what we need to know about the futureBy: Michael Lander

Memphis has seen a steady increase in the number of cyclists over the last
decade and this is only expected to grow as more amenities and facilities
are put into place in and around the city.

There is an old saying that numbers don't lie.Some say that numbers can even speak louder than words.

Because of numbers, much of what we know of the world can be explained and
understood.It is through them, and more
specifically, statistics, that we might even be able to get a glimpse into the
future.

Cycling, like many other sport or athletic activities can be all about numbers,
speed, distances, and averages, etc., and it's future may very well lie in what
we do with the statistics that we have in front of us today.

By looking at those who now ride, from men, women, children, and people of
different races, economic status, and geographical location, we can get a
pretty clear picture as to the trends and what direction and where cycling
might be going in.
Much of what we know about this comes from polls, surveys, retail sales and
other means of data collection.This can
give businesses, private and public organizations, and local, state, and
federal governments an opportunity to make decisions and allocate resources for
things like a cycling infrastructure that will improve and enhance the lives of
those in a community.

It may come as little surprise to anyone who is into cycling, that men comprise
the largest group of those who currently ride.The most significant growth of cyclists in the U.S., over the past two
decades, have been men, especially those between the ages of 25-64 years of age.The average North American bicycle
commuter is also a
39-year-old professional male.

Men make up the largest population of cyclists across the U.S. and many do not
seem to be apprehensive about riding on busy city streets and are more likely to
commute than any other segment in the population.

There may be many reasons why men chose to ride a bike more often than women
do, but one of the more prevalent explanations for this may simply come down to
the issue of personal safety with more men seemingly less
concerned about this than women who were surveyed about it would appear to be.

As for men, age does seem to be a factor for
those who do ride.The largest group of cyclists, at 43 percent,
are those who are in between the ages of 25 to 44.This is followed by those who are 45 to 64,
at about 33 percent, with 15 percent of those from 18 to 24 who ride and then 10
percent for those who do who are 65 years of age and older.

This data seems to correlate with times in our lives when most of us are
typically more physically active, but perhaps too busy with school, beginning
careers, and starting families to be interested in spending as much time on a
bike.

For women in the U.S., about 10.2 million rode 109 days or less in 2010, which
was a decrease of 13 percent since 2000.This drop does not seem to parallel what is happening in other places
around the world, such as in many countries throughout Europe, where there are
as many women bicyclists as men.

According to surveys, a majority of women indicated a preference
to riding on bike trails and on less congested city streets out of
concerns for their personal safety.

Even though riding a bike was once a really big part of childhood in the U.S.,
it does not appear that it is that way today.The number of children who ride bicycles has
declined more than
20 percent between 2000 to 2010.

Some of this decline may be attributed to safety concerns by parents who are
not comfortable with allowing their kids to ride alone in their neighborhoods
as they once did.It may also be that
children today have more things that they can do both in and out of the home
that may compete for any time that they could devote to riding a bike.

When it comes to the issue of race, one of the most positive developments is
that cycling is becoming increasingly more
diversified.While bicycling may be highest among whites
and Hispanics, between 2001 to 2009, cycling rates rose fastest among blacks, Hispanics,
and those of Asian descent.In North
America, these three groups accounted for an increase of all bike trips, rising
from 16 percent in 2001 to 21 percent in 2009.

The number of children who ride a bike has steadily decreased by at least
20 percent from 2000 to 2010, but this decrease has been offset by an
increase of adult men who have taken up cycling.

While race has become less of factor as far as those who ride, the reasons
behind why they do it may be different.For whites, bicycles would appear to be mostly used for exercise and recreation whereas other groups may ride for
more practical purposes like commuting to and from school or work.

This also seems to parallel what occurs with various income levels.Bicycling rates do not seem to vary much
when it comes to income level, but the purposes appear do as those with lower
income typically ride more for utilitarian purposes and those with higher income seem to
ride more for fitness and leisure.The
same seems to also be true for children from low-income and minority
households who are
more likely to ride to school than whites or those are from higher income
households.

In addition to all of the variables that might influence who rides and how, the
location of where someone lives also seems to be a factor as well.In the U.S., western states would have the highest bicycling
rates and southern states currently have extremely low levels when compared to
all other regions throughout of the country.

On the other side of the coin, there are some negative aspects of cycling that
currently deter some people from riding.The costs of purchasing a bikewas given as a major obstacle by some who have
been surveyed as was a lack of a bike-specific
infrastructure and pro-bicycle programs with supportive land use planning and
restrictions on automobile use. Even though some southern cities have been slow to warm up to the idea of providing cycling-related amenities, Memphis has been one of the leaders in coming around and changing all this.

In 1966, Joyce Carol Oates had a short story published entitled, "Where
Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"It is a story that chronicles the odyssey of a young girl who is lured
away from her home to an uncertain future.Even though this fictional tale really has nothing to do with cycling
itself, in some ways it's title arguably could.

The question of where you are going and where you have been, as it relates to
cycling, is one that cities like Memphis have looked at and answered themselves.

When it comes to cycling, over the last decade, it is obvious, even to the most
casual observer, where Memphis has come from, where it is now, and where it is
going in the future.

Statistics indicate that cycling is becoming increasingly diversified and, not unlike
any other large metropolitan city in the country, cyclists of different ages, races,
and varying economic backgrounds, etc., can be found in many areas throughout
the City of Memphis.

In
less than ten years, the Memphis Metropolitan area has seen a cycling
infrastructure that has gone from being non-existent to one that is growing by
the day and slowly emerging as a nationally recognized destination for cycling
enthusiasts.

With these changes, the number of cyclists has exploded and will likely
continue to move in that direction as more is done to draw people out of their
homes and on to the burgeoning number of bike lanes, trails, and cyclist-friendly
roads.

In the movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?", George Clooney's
character becomes angered when he's told that it'd take two weeks before the
owner of a small country store would be able to order and receive the hair gel
that Clooney's character is asking for.
In response to not being able to get what he wants for another two
weeks, he says, "Well ain't this place a geographical oddity! Two weeks from everywhere!"

While Memphis may not exactly be two weeks from everywhere, one thing that it
is quickly becoming is a place known for its cycling. It is conveniently located in the middle of
the country and it is quickly becoming a place that is not only beginning to accept
and embrace cycling, but it's where people will eventually want to come to ride
from all around the nation.

Time will tell how far Memphis will come with all of this, but at this point,
it seems pretty clear in which direction that it is heading in.

Ultimately, in the end, numbers don't lie and the steady growth in the number
of cyclists will speak for itself. If
we will but wait, listen, and act, we should see and hear what should be good
news to anyone and everyone who loves cycling.

About Me

I am a long-time resident of Memphis, Tennessee. I had a long active duty military career and I am now a student at the University of Memphis. I am married to a native Memphian who is a retired Memphis City School teacher. When I am not busy, or in school, you will likely find me out riding my bike or jogging around my East Memphis neighborhood. If you would like to learn more of my passion for cycling, you can follow me on twitter at - https://twitter.com/memphiscyclist, or you can check out my cycling website - http://memphiscyclist.com. If you have any questions or comments about my blogs, my website or about Memphis cycling, please feel free to contact me at mikel5061@yahoo.com.